Simple Marriages

ANS helps and propagates the ‘Satya Shodak’ marriage ceremony to prevent huge amount of money being wasted by many people in unnecessary pomp and show in conventional marriages. Many people from all strata of society get entrapped in debt leading to untold hardship. Mahatma Jotirao Phule, the great social reformer from Maharashtra, of the 20th century, propagated this marriage ceremony that was simple, inexpensive and making the Brahmin Priest’s services redundant. Mahatma Phule started ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ – The Society of ‘Truth Seekers’. Hence the marriage ceremony adopted by this society is called ‘Satyashodhak Marriage’.

Satyashodhak Marriages

ANS helps and propagates the ‘Satya Shodak’ marriage ceremony to prevent huge amount of money being wasted by many people in unnecessary pomp and show in conventional marriages. Many people from all strata of society get entrapped in debt leading to untold hardship. Mahatma Jotirao Phule, the great social reformer from Maharashtra, of the 20th century, propagated this marriage ceremony that was simple, inexpensive and making the Brahmin Priest’s services redundant. Mahatma Phule started ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ – The Society of ‘Truth Seekers’. Hence the marriage ceremony adopted by this society is called ‘Satyashodhak Marriage’.

Mahatma Phule was a great visionary and social reformer. His work has no parallel in the history of modern India. Way back in 1850s he initiated a revolution in the field of education. He started, for the first time in India, schools for the vast majority of down trodden citizens, who were denied for thousands of years, the basic right to education. This was due to the derogatory and demeaning caste system, which still is the basis of Hindu religion. His most exemplary achievement was when he taught his wife Savitribai Phule, to read and write and started a school for girls in Pune, where she was able to educate other girls and other women.

In his lifetime, Mahatma Phule undertook another wonderful task; he re-established the local ceremonies for the common people of

Maharashtra. He wrote a book, “Sarvajanik Satya Dharma ” in simple Marathi describing how to conduct ceremonies, which are conducted by common citizens, from birth until death. During this exercise, the equality and dignity of all human beings and the prestige, the purity, was uppermost in his mind. Mahatma Phule was against people who used religion to preach inequality and superstition and people who used god as a commodity to earn their livelihood. Unlike Vedic marriage ceremony where only priest and couple sing some hymns in alien language, he devised a simple marriage ceremony, which enabled all to participate and understand the procedure without any ambiguity.

Marriage Ceremony Details

This marriage ceremony is based on the marriage ceremonies, performed by the majority of local people of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the details of which are as under:

Swagat: Five prominent and elderly representatives from the bride and bridegroom are called upon the dais to be introduced and felicitated. They are generally parents of bride and bridegroom, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts etc. The ceremony starts by calling these people on the stage and offering garlands and/or shawls to each other. The master of ceremonies who is to preside over the marriage ceremony is felicitated and introduced to the gathering.

Agni Prajwalan: The master of ceremonies, requests the bride and the bridegroom to be brought on the dais by the respective uncles and friends of the bride and bridegroom. He introduces the bride and bridegroom to the gathered people. He then lights the Agni, in the

Agni Kund, places small pieces of sandalwood in the palms of the bride and bridegroom. The couple is asked to recite –

” We now banish from our minds all negative and evil thoughts, so that we can perform our marriage ceremony with pure and clear minds. As a symbolic gesture we offer these sandalwood to the fire. Signifying that all our evil and bad thoughts are burnt in the fire and as the fragrance of burning sandal wood pieces sweetness the air, our minds become purified.”

The bride and the groom stand before the fire with folded palms and recite hymns to receive the good wishes of all present and the blessings from spirits of nature i.e. Agni, Varuna, Pruthvi, Vayu, Akash, Jala and the memory of ancestors.

Sapta Padi: The master of ceremonies then asks the bride and groom to go around the fire seven times and take seven significant steps, which will lead them in the future to a happy, fruitful, successful, prosperous and useful married life. The master of ceremonies requests the bride and the bridegroom to walk around the fire seven times, holding each other’s hands and recite following during each round:

May our lives be full of love and devotion to each other.

May we learn to respect and care for all things created by the creator.

May we always treat each other with honour and respect others as you your selves would like to be respected by others.

May we never discriminate on the bases of race, religion, caste or gender.

May we always respect dignity of labour and work hard to fulfill our lives, dreams and become useful and helpful human beings?

May we think rationally and take care of our health, so that we have healthy minds in healthy bodies.

May we become healthy, wealthy and wise so that we have the capability and worth to look after and to groom the new generation, which we may bring into this world?

Mangal Geet: The master of ceremonies then requests the bride and the bridegroom to sit on chairs placed on the dais. He will hand over the garlands and bouquets to the bride and the bridegroom.

The bride says:

Give me love darling; treat me as your partner.

Always strive for the betterment of each other.

Never undermine the status of a woman.

Always remember that the wife is the driving force of every husband.

The bridegroom says:

Other women are like my sisters, you only my darling.

In the presence of everyone today I’ve made you my own.

We are like the wheels of our family chariot.

Let us keep them rolling to enable us to reach our destiny.

The bride and bridegroom say together:

We together will move ahead on the road to progress.

We will keep superstitions at bay, and walk the road of truth.

We will remember to keep the honour of our family, society, and country.

If we commit any mistakes we will correct them promptly.

The people who have gathered to bless the couple will say:

Today you begin your married life, be happy.

We wish you to progress in your life.

We wish you to speak sweetly and do good deeds in your life.

We wish you to work and to honour your parents and society.

We wish you to lead a happy and successful life.

Always remember to do good deeds in your life.

These are our good wishes to you on this happy occasion.

We wish you both happiness and prosperity throughout your life.

Blessings to you,

Blessings to you,

Blessings for happy and prosperous wedded life.

Oath:

The Groom will say:

From today I accept you as my wife. I vow to look after you. I will never doubt you. Never trouble or harm you in anyway but always honour you and keep you happy.

The Bride will say:

From today I accept you as my husband. I vow that I will not have any doubts in my mind. I will always be with you in happiness and in sorrow. Never trouble or harm you in anyway but always honour and keep you happy.

The bride and bridegroom will garland each other and present each other with bouquets. The bridegroom will put the mangalsutra around the neck of the bride; the bride will then offer the bridegroom a chain to put around neck. The master of ceremonies will then declare that the bride and bridegroom are married. Master of ceremonies will then request the bride and the bridegroom to thank everyone present. The bride and the bridegroom will thank the master of ceremonies and all present with folded palms.